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If you wanna become a PUA, let me congratulate you. Excellent choice.

Personally, it’s helped me to become more confident around women (and people in general), self-aware, and socially savvy. Not to mention I’ve met new people, and have some FANTASTIC adventures. Which is an education in itself.

In that sense, pickup isn’t just about learning to attract or “get” women. Yes, you’ll learn how to attract women. But the real destination turns out to be about knowing yourself and becoming a more excellent man for real.

So, in case you wanted to become a PUA, I wanted to share how I became one. I don’t know if it’s THE way to become a PUA. But it worked for me. Hopefully it’ll work for you, too.

Oh and by the way, if you’re curious about the haters who poo-poo on pickup, I wrote a nine-part series defending pickup called “The Myths of Pickup” (four myths, Myth #1 has 6 chapters).

You could say this article’s the conclusion of that series. Anyway, if you have any interest, feel free to check out the other parts. Just type “myths” into this blog’s search box.

Onward. Here was my path and pitfalls along the way to becoming a PUA:

Step One: Learn pickup theory… for 1-2 months MAX

But here was a mistake I made at this step.

I spent MONTHS learning theory before I hit the field. If I were to do this journey again, I’d start sooner. ‘Cause the sooner you hit the field, the sooner you’ll get this skill down.

So, that’s why I’d recommend spending maybe only one or two months TOPS of learning the theory.

2. Neil Strauss, The Game. Neil’s story of how he became a PUA. Gives you a sense of what’s possible. Super well-written too and a fun read.

3. Mystery and Lovedrop, The Mystery of Method. Overview of pickup theory. Good read after The Game ‘cause The Game refers to Mystery Method a lot. But it’s very theoretical.

4. Neil Strauss, The Rules of the Game. Great way to get you out into the field practicing. Only downfall: the book takes you as far as the number exchange, then stops. But no fear. I’m gonna give you some other great resources for that under step two.

5. Renaissan, How to Pick up Chicks in Five Simple Steps. My own ebook takes you to the kiss close. But I emphasize practice throughout: I give you scripts, pictures, and a practice plan.

After one or two months of getting the theory down, hit the field. Here’s how…

Step Two: Practice AND study theory for 8 – 10 months.

Mystery’s famous “newbie drill” is useful here. Here’s a variation of it I had used:

1) Pick three nights of the week to go out.

Do ten approaches each night. First three are warm-ups. “Hey” counts as an approach.

2) Make a commitment which days to go out:

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are excellent choices. Go out those days no matter what for the next 8-10 months.

If you do that, you’ll rack up 30 approaches per week, and 120 approaches per month. Within 8 months you’ll have 1,000 approaches. 500 approaches will get you good. 1,000 approaches will get you towards mastery.

But the approaches have to be quality approaches. That’s where the next part of this step comes in.

3) Reflect on your approaches.

Self-reflection will ensure you’re actually improving and make you aware of what to continue doing and what to improve on next time.

Trackers come in handy here. After each night, track your ten approaches and checkmark which fundamentals you missed and which you hit.

I can’t tell you valuable this is. It’s KEY to getting better. Here’s something else that helps with the quality of your approaches…

4) Practice in the mirror.

Oh my lordy rehearsing before hitting the field helps. It’s like a comedian rehearsing before going on stage, or a musician practicing his guitar before performing.

Like Louis Pasteur says: “success favors the prepared mind.”

If you rehearse first, you’ll go into the field with your eyes open (rather than closed). Learn from the best pickup artists like Mystery and Style. They’d rehearse before hitting the field, too.

5) On your off-days, read pickup. And banter with cashiers, baristas.

Studying theory on my off-days had helped me see what I was doing well in field, and what I needed to improve on. Then when it came time for my infield days, I’d test out what I had learned while on my days off.

I recommend you doing the same thing.

But what are some good resources to study on your off-days? Here are some of my favorites:

Pickup Resources:

Again, these are resources you can study on your off-days to SUPPLEMENT your practice. Theory can never take the place of real-world practice.

2. Brad P, 30/30 Club. Yearlong course. You do 30 approaches every month. Each month you get an audio that focuses on a step, like approaching, or sex skills. They have a $30/month plan if you don’t have a lot of cash.

Inner-Game Resources:

3. Timothy Miller, How To Want What You Have. Psychologist argues that three practices—compassion, attention, and gratitude—are the keys to inner-strength and psychological health. Fantastic book. Highly recommended.

4. Anthony deMello, Awareness/Way to Love. Another highly recommended book by a Jesuit priest. Easy to read, and potentially life-changing.

Sex Skills:

5. Alex Allman, Revolutionary Sex. Excellent ebook on sex skills. His basic premise: “listening” is key to being a great lover. Kinda like listening is key to being a great conversationalist. Lots of practical tips too.

The message behind negs: “I’m not chasing you.” Done in a playful way. NOT to hurt.

1. First, let’s be clear about what negs are not.

They’re NOT meant to put down.

They’re NOT meant to cut down an ego.

They’re NOT meant to make you look superior.

They’re NOT meant to one-up.

They’re NOT meant to hurt.

If a guy does any of these things, he’s not negging. He’s being an asshole.

How can a guy tell he’s negging properly? If she’s laughing.

If she’s not, she’s usually been insulted. Occasionally you’ll find a girl who might just be a miserable human being. She wouldn’t laugh at anything. But nine times outta ten, if she’s laughing, you know you’ve negged properly.

To prove negs aren’t meant to insult, let me give you the technical definition of a neg, from Mystery himself:

“Negs disqualify you from being a potential suitor.”

2. In other words, negs are meant to show: “I’m NOT chasing you.”

This is especially useful on the most made-up women who’ve been offered drinks, propositioned for sex, glared at, grinded on a dance floor, told she’s pretty a thousand times, and asked twenty factual questions, like “where are you from.”

But a guy who makes her laugh with a variation of “stop hitting on me”? It’s different. Makes her stop and ask, “who is this guy?” Negs should feel like a breath of fresh air for her. ‘Cause he’s showing his personality and offering value: a laugh.

You’re also actively showing you’ve got personality. It’s so different than what other guys do, it’s intriguing. It’s like a cool headline that makes a girl wanna learn more about you.

And the mind-state behind using negs has NOTHING to do putting down women.

3. Here’s the mind-state:

First, presume you’re the prize. That means presume she wants you. You don’t need her. You come from an abundance of women. In other words, don’t audition for her. Let her audition for you.

Second,push her “presumed” advances away, or at least show you’re willing to walk away …presuming you’re the prize, she wants you, she’s hitting on you, of course you’ve gotta stop her from hitting on you. 😉

Third,because you’re “presuming,” the push away is *PLAYFUL*. Playful is the operative word here. It’s all play. You’re not literally pushing her away. You’re just presuming.

Fourth, play is fun and positive–so have positive energy. You can say “You’re beautiful” a thousand ways. They’ll all mean something different, depending on your feeling. The same words can communicate sincerity, creepiness, anger. So, if a guy feels negative, his neg will come off as insulting. But if he has positive energy, his neg will come off as fun, as playing-together.

Presuming a girl is hitting on you disqualifies you from being a suitor. ‘Cause you’re making HER into the suitor!

YOU: “Slow down, buy me a drink before you hit on me.”

Make this a running joke.

If you do the running gag of, “I’m so hot, stop hitting on me,” she’ll laugh PLUS she’ll fall into the frame of she wants you.

A long running frame will get you aaaaall the way to sex. Even if you’re butt-ugly. She can’t help but fall into it.

4. Negs are always about BUILDING COMFORT.

This idea that negs are meant to put down is wrong. Negs are really about ridding her discomfort of being hit on.

After all, she only wants to be hit on AFTER she feels attraction for somebody. She only wants compliments knowing you’re NOT trying to get something from her.

Negs allow you to give those honest compliments, ‘cause she now knows you need nothing from her. Compliments without an agenda make her feel good.

5. Here’s an experiment. Imagine a fat girl negging you… I bet you a $100 she’d attract you with her negs.

Let’s say this fat girl accuses you of wanting her. She’s funny and cool. I bet you $100 she’d attract you just with her frame. Here’s how that might look:

FAT GIRL: “You’re looking at my tits again aren’t you. Head up, head up. Get your head outta the gutter.”

YOU: “I wasn’t thinking any of that!”

FAT GIRL: “Mmhm. I’m sure you say that to all the big-breasted women. Yep.”

YOU: “No!”

Again, she’s funny, smart, cool, comfortable in her skin.

After a fun night with her, you find she’s lying in your bed STILL not hitting on you. She’s just saying:

FAT GIRL: “Okay, don’t get any ideas. Just because I’m in your bed…”

Then she makes a move on you. She begins stroking your cock, then sucking it. She’s damn good at it. And hey, a girl’s a girl.

Next thing you know, you’re taking each other’s clothes off…

That’s who we should be. We should be like the fat girl who accused the guy of chasing her. And she had to say “no” to his presumed advances (even though he wasn’t hitting on her).

Why does this work?

First, it’s funny as all hell. Then she became a challenge. Finally, you fell into that frame that you wanted her, and you found yourself wanting her.

Voila. The magic of negs.

6. Negs are also about giving feeling-good.

Whether or not you “get” her with negs, you’ll probably make her laugh with ’em. That’s good enough. If nothing else, make her night with a smile.

Negging a girl is like two friends PLAY-fighting with each other. She’ll neg you back. EXCELLENT! Game on. The flirting has begun.

No passive-aggressive claws involved.

Now, a word about this “pushing her away” thing… It’s probably why so many have so misunderstood negs to be put downs.

Something quirky about human nature: the more we can’t have something, the more we want it. But remember: you’re ALSO making her laugh in the process.

Magic my man. Magic.

7. So, think of negs instead as:

Play-fighting

Playful conflict

Being a fun challenge

Active non-neediness

Flirting!

Be the one to push it away, push it away. Show her you like her, but also show you don’t need her. All of a sudden, she wants in.

8. Let me give you some more examples:

All of these are ways to disqualify yourself from being considered a potential suitor. Or to presume you’re the prize, she wants you, and you’ve gotta push her away.

EXAMPLE #1: Friend Zone

YOU: “Yeah, yeah, come along. But expect nothing but good conversation. If nothing else, we can be friends.”

That’s a good neg.

It gets rid of her discomfort of being hit on. Says, “I’m not trying to get you. Let’s just relax and enjoy each other’s company.”

But do you see how there’s ZERO insulting going on here?

Now I know this might not be exactly hilarious. But it’s still IRONIC… and unexpected. ‘Cause here (I got this line from Mystery) Mystery’s stealing what girls usually say to us–“expect no sex… I’d rather be friends”–and using it on a girl.

Genius!

It’s a non-hurtful way of saying I’m NOT out to “get” you. Again, THAT’S what a neg is.

Here’s another example of how negs are NOT back-handed insults.

EXAMPLE #2: Tyler Durden’s Neg

Now, a caveat about this example. I wouldn’t recommend using it. I’m including it here as an example of how flexible negs can be and how they’re not meant to one-up, or knock someone’s self-esteem

Okay, here’s the example.

There’s this famous story about how Tyler Durden (co-founder of RSD) told a girl he was gay, so she’d know he wasn’t chasing her.

‘Cause Tyler was actively showing he wasn’t trying to “get” the girl. He gave her room to come to him. No “insulting” or “one-upping” involved.

Here’re some other great negs that are playful, that show confidence, that push her away without putting a girl down:

MULTIPLE EXAMPLES: One-liners

YOU: “I just want you to know we’re not having sex tonight.”

YOU: “I wore my old briefs tonight to make sure nothing would happen.”

YOU: “Hey, hey. Buy me a drink first!”

YOU: “Quit looking at my chest! My eyes are up here.”

YOU: “Did you put any roofies in my drink?”

YOU: “Quit looking at me like that. I’m not just some hot slab of beefcake you know. I’ve got feelings too.”

YOU: “You’re such a brat.”

YOU: “You’re trouble. I’ve gotta keep my eye on you.”

YOU: “Hands off the merchandise. That’ll be forty dollars. Hey, you think this shit’s for free?”

YOU: “You are so cute I wanna put you in my pocket and take you home with me. Wait. Are you house broken?”

Again, these are supposed to be funny ’cause it’s shit girls usually say to us. Guys aren’t supposed to say these to girls, right? Girls realize it’s absurd, there’s no substance to it… and they laugh.

Brilliant.

In fact, Mystery once said he learned how to neg FROM girls!

‘Cause they used to neg him and rebuff his advances like crazy. So one day he decided to give what she gave him right back to her–in a PLAYFUL way. Never in the serious, hurtful way girls sometimes “neg” us. To his surprise, it worked!

Mystery learned these negs from “tens,” who used these on him. Likewise, these kinds of negs work best on “tens” who’re stuck up or immune by the blur of men hitting on them. These are not meant to hurt. They’re meant to wake them up, to catch their attention.

Anyway, if you give her these lines that say “I’m the selector here, now you’re the selectee” before she gives ’em to you, how can she now give ’em to you?

Ha! You’ve turned the tables! Nice.

By the way, speaking of women “negging” us, what if she “negs” us seriously, without the playfulness? What do you do then?

EXAMPLE #4: When she negs you

Give it back to her still! With the playfulness. Interpret her neg as she wants you. Here’s one way of how that might look like:

HER: “I just want you to know, we’re not having sex tonight.”

Remember this neg is just a sound byte. So, give the sound byte back to her.

YOU: “Well I’m glad you brought that up. Because I didn’t shave. No seriously. I’m in the shower getting ready to come over here. I keep myself trim down there. And I do it out of laziness. Because if your lines grow out then you have to find new lines. So I’m shaving thinking, ‘Who am I shaving for? Is it you?’ I’m like ‘I’m not even in this headspace right now. While sex is all great and stuff, women can be a drag.’ So I specifically didn’t shave because I don’t feel sexy when I don’t shave. I don’t feel like I’m in a sexual mood. You know what I mean? So for you to say that? Works for me.”

You’re actually speaking a woman’s language and giving it right back to her.

This qualifies as a “neg” ’cause you’re actively showing you’re not trying to get into her pants. Without being hurtful about it.

And guess what? Because you’re giving her “negative” space, she’ll wanna fill it and come to you.

I’ve used this neg before when a girl told me “we’re not having sex tonight.” Guess what happened? We ended up having sex that night.

Go figure.

Here’s ANOTHER great neg that yet STILL doesn’t cut down:

Example #5: Let’s shut off the girl-boy dynamic

YOU: “Let’s turn this girl-boy dynamic off and just be, you know, spiritual, normal. I mean we’re both hot and we like each other. So what? Last thing I need is this girl-boy complexity. There’s a thoughtful, observing entity inside you. I care about that which is looking at me and seeing me.”

I hope you see by this point that’s all negs are. It’s NOT a back-handed insult. God, no.

9. But wait, you might be saying. If negs DON’T “cut down,” then why is it called a “neg”? N-e-g seem to be the first letters of “negate.”

Good question.

There still is a sense of conflict, or pushing her away or “NO… I’m not after you” in negs.

But negs must be done in the spirit of PLAY. NEVER as a way to hurt or cut down an ego. Insulting is NOT playful, NOT fun, NOT friendly.

How would hurtfulness ever attract?

Those who say that’s what negs do to a girl’s self-esteem are guilty of a straw man argument: portraying someone’s position in the worst way to make it easier to attack. It’s a vulgar understanding.

Negs are AWESOME ’cause they infuse ENERGY into an interaction, and make it interesting.

Please allow me to indulge one last time to show you what I mean.

Many people in relationships have these kind of conversations:

::: Conversation with no conflict in it :::

He: “Good morning.”

She: “Good morning.”

He: “Breakfast?”

She: “Sure.”

He: “What would you like?”

She: “I don’t know. What do you feel like?”

He: “How about some eggs?”

She: “Okey dokey.”

He: “How would you like your eggs?”

She: “Sunny side up.”

He: “Toast?”

She: “Sure.”

He: “I’ve got some honey wheat bread. It’s great.”

She: “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

He: “Butter?”

She: “Sure.”

He: “Jam?”

She: “Yes please!”

They read the paper as they eat breakfast.

She: “Anything happening in the paper?”

He: “Celtics won last night.”

She: “Yay.”

He: “Just barely though. They’re now in second place.”

She: “So, what’re you gonna do today?”

Do you feel the boredom? It’s a lifeless exchange. Why? There’s NO conflict! They just agree with everything they say to each other. Plus everything is FACTUAL.

Negs on the other hand add playful conflict and imagination to the mix. It’s not so literal or factual or so agreeable.

Check out if this couple added some playful conflict and negs to the mix:

::: Conversation with Playful Conflict :::

You’re making breakfast. Your girl enters the kitchen. And she grabs at it.

She: “Is it ready yet?”

You: “Hey, hands off.”

You pick her up, carry her to the counter away from the food, and sit her down there. You continue to cook.

You: “You stay over there you brat. You don’t understand. Cooking’s an art.”

She: “Sure, I’ll sit over here. All by myself.”

She throws a pieces of bread at you. You tickle her to make her stop. She runs away. You chase her and capture her.

She: “Wait the food’s burning!”

You: “Aw shit.”

See how much more engaging the conversation is now with PLAYFUL conflict involved?

That’s what negs are. Playful conflict. They create attraction. And not just when you first meet a girl.

If you wanna keep the spark alive in a long term relationship, NEG!

Relationships lose the spark when they lose sexual tension. Negs infuse SEXUAL TENSION into an interaction.

Negs are KEY to attracting girls.

10. Let me sum up.

Negs aren’t put downs. Negs are play-fighting.

Like when a dog plays keep away from you. Or when one person chases the other. Or when a TV show ends on a cliff hanger and says, “To be continued…”

What’s the difference between these and real fighting? What makes these “games,” and not battles-of-the-ego? Easy. There are no claws involved.

When a dog plays with you, he may show his teeth and growl, but he won’t draw blood. That’s how you know it’s PLAY-fighting. There’s no hurting involved.

That’s how it is with negs. There’s conflict, yes, but no drawing blood. No harming. No hurting. They’re playful. They’re meant to keep a girl engaged. They’re meant to keep a girl on the edge of her seat. It’s a GAME in the “tag–you’re it” sense of the word. It’s fun. It’s flirting.

Philosopher Baudillard probably had the best way to sum up negs:

“Challenge, and not desire, lies at the heart of seduction.”

Being-a-challenge-to-get engages and is fun. Negs are a tool to help you be that kind of playful challenge… rather than buy drinks, gawk, proposition girls for sex.

They’re what guys who are successful with women do naturally.

So, instead of insulting, think of negs as flirting. As actively showing a girl you don’t “need” her, that you’re not chasing her.

This creates sexual tension, and a DESIRE in her for more of you.

Negging is really foreplay. It’s the first step in getting girls “in the mood.”

It’s unfortunate this part of MM is so misunderstood. Because they’re so fundamental to attraction.

Let me close this beast of a post with some tips on how to neg a girl in the first five minutes of meeting her.

11. To execute negs properly in the first five minutes of an approach:

Pick ONE of the one-liners above.

Use that line within the second sentence out of your mouth. Don’t wait to do it. Do it IMMEDIATELY. Get the sexual juices flowing right from the start.

Don’t do more than two neg-exchanges in the first five minutes. Yes, negs break the ice. But once the ice’s broken, anchor the laughter with substance. That means introducing yourself, next qualifying her, and finally expressing your interest in her. That naturally leads to a mini-date (or at least a number exchange).

Presume you’re the prize. Presume she’s hitting on you, presume you’ve gotta get away from her. Yes, the presumption is imaginary. But that’s the fun and often humor of it.

Have positive energy. The kind of positivity that says “NOTHING can wreck my day. I’m just giving FEELING GOOD.” Whether you get that girl’s number or not, BOTH of you still win. ‘Cause you’ve made her smile.

Negs remove that heavy barrier called the “stranger obstacle.”

They create sexual tension, they get the good feelings flowing, and they allow you to approach a girl from a place of strength. You’ll attract her. And ultimately be able to get to know each other human being-to-human being.

12. So neg are ways to flirt, it’s playful conflict.

Flirting is play-fighting. NOT serious-fighting (where people get hurt). To create attraction, incorporate playful conflict into your interactions with women.

How do you play-fight in a way creates sexual tension and that doesn’t hurt a girl?

As you know by now, neg.

What happens when a guy negs. By pulling away a bit (playfully, NOT harmfully), she now wants in.

Can you imagine telling her when she was learning archery “just be confident”? That’s “natural game’s” message. You won’t hear the Mystery Method give that kind of advice. MM is more practical.

“Mystery Method Makes You A Social Robot, I Hear “Natural Game” Is Way Better…”

WARNING: This is kind of a rant.

1. The concept of “Natural Game” is marketing hype.

The “Natural Game” concept was created by people who wanted to cash in on the phrase “new and improved.”

Funny thing is, natural game is neither new nor improved.

Often these marketers started as students of Mystery, then repackaged his teachings and called it “natural game.”

Also the fundamentals of game were around long before Mystery or Natural Game. The genius of Mystery was his making the fundamentals conscious for anyone to understand and apply. Success with women was no longer explained by “just talk to women and be confident.”

“Natural Gamers” then came along and declared Mystery Method was too unnatural, too theoretical.

But these guys fail to grasp that when learning any skill, it helps to have a skill broken into steps first. That way a person can go from “conscious incompetence” to “conscious competence” to “unconscious competence.”

It’s as if Natural Gamers want guys to go from “conscious incompetence” to “unconscious competence”… without going through the “conscious competence” stage first.

And holy shit Natural Gamers are THEORETICAL for being “natural”!

Ha!

2. I had bought into their hype once. I wanted to see how “new and improved” they were.

Bought a lot of their products, listened to a lot of their interviews, read their books, watched some of their YouTube videos.

I didn’t learn anything new or improved. Except that their shit was overwhelmingly mediocre, and not very enlightening.

Now let me ask you. If you’re out in the field and you see a beautiful woman, would that shit actually HELP you?

Of course not.

Wouldn’t you want something more specific, more practical?

Obviously. That’s where the Mystery Method comes in.

Rather than “new and improved” I’m afraid to say Natural Game seems more of a step backwards, rather than forwards.

3. Here’s another thing. For some, picking the nose could be natural. Should we be doing that when meeting women?

Some “Natural Gamers” don’t take the time to define what they mean by “natural game.”

Mystery Method teaches a guy how to BE HIS BEST SELF while knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.

Yet Mystery’s Method IS natural game as well.

Meaning, there are men who seem “naturally” good with women. But then that’s a myth, too.

‘Cause no one is born “naturally” good with women. Everyone has to learn the skill, and CAN.

People like to call these men “naturals” because they may have never read a book on success with women. They still learned it though… by watching and modeling guys who were more successful with women than them.

4. Anyway, Mystery Method IS what men who are successful with women do (the “naturals”), but backwards engineered so it’s teachable for ANY guy can apply it.

This is especially useful if you don’t happen to know a guy who’s more successful with women than you.

That was me. I learned the Mystery Method, practiced it, failed a lot. But soon the method became “natural,” intuitive, and it became “second nature” to me.

And that’s my point. Learn a strategy–see the whole maze first, then start at the end and trace your steps back to the beginning. PRACTICE the steps until it becomes “natural.” Then you don’t need to rely on the map as much.

In other words, Mystery Method is like climbing up a ladder. It helps you get to the top. Once you’re there, you can throw away the ladder. But the Mystery Method at least gives you steps to get to the top.

Michael Jordan had to learn the fundamentals of basketball first. After mastering those, he could bend ’em to fit his style.

Fundamentals were around before Mystery or “natural game,” and they’ll be around after someone slaps a different label on it.

“Natural game” may cover a few of the fundamentals. Mystery Method covers ’em all. It’s comprehensive.

So, rather than chasing after the “newest” fad, get the fundamentals down. And that’s what the Mystery Method provides.

6. One other thing I want to mention that annoys me to no end: the smugness.

These “natural gamers” portray themselves as morally superior because they’re “natural.” But they turn around and bash Mystery (because they know he’s the best) without showing respect–even though often these guys learned from him.

Ugh.

The condescending tone makes me wanna reach for some Scope.

I’m not saying all natural gamers are like this. And I’m not against the idea of natural game. I just despise the bashing, the ingratitude, the mediocre advice… and how they end up confusing guys.

Like I said, don’t buy into their hype. Just focus on the fundamentals. You’ll get ’em all with the Mystery Method.

7. One last myth I wanna dismantle before I end this series on the myths surrounding pickup.

Has to do with one of the fundamentals of the Mystery Method: negs. It’s one of its most misunderstood parts…

One big benefit of learning routines: gets you to practice in front of the mirror. Do me a favor. Next time you go out, practice in front of the mirror first.

Benefits of Learning Routines:

You can let your personality shine.

You can lead a conversation somewhere.

You have an icebreaker in a pinch.

Gives you self-awareness of delivery.

It’s a way to model guys who are successful with women.

CAUTION: To avoid becoming a robot… understand WHY a routine works and mix in spontaneous conversation.

Use BOTH Routines AND Spontaneous Conversation

Reason this myth makes me laugh: we use routines all the time. Hell, one of the most spontaneous comedians ever, Robin Williams, used canned material.

He had a few stories he’d tell multiple times. For example, he’d tell a story about how he’s so hairy ladies waxing him asked if they could take a break. (The story begins at minute 4 below)

I’ve heard him tell that story on like five different talk shows.

He used a story that works. But he ALSO improvised, was spontaneous, played off people in the moment.

He did both.

I’d say we’re all like that. We all have “improvised” conversation AND occasionally we’ll use a story we know works. That’s all “routines” are. Stories or one-liners we can pull out in a snap that we know works well.

Here’s another routine Robin used when he talked about his hairiness. It’s at 13:12. I’ve heard him tell this story before, too. (BONUS: if you wanna hear a hilarious story about how the Scottish invented golf, check out minute 5:57. It’s awesome.)

Point is, Robin was a master improviser who also used canned material. Nothing wrong with using canned material. Everyone does it. Just use normal, spontaneous conversation too.

Wait, everyone uses canned material?

Of course. Saying “hey, how’s it going?” is a canned routine. So is “thank-you.” Telling a polished story you know works (think of an uncle who’s told a story you’ve heard a couple times) is a canned routine.

Once again, the trick is to use BOTH routines AND spontaneous conversation.

To avoid becoming a “robot,” understand WHY a routine works so you can invent new ones on the fly, when you need, in the moment.

Using routines vs. not using routines: ain’t an either/or thing. We can use both.

Here’s the other thing. Routines come in handy.

Sometimes when we’re caught off guard and draw a blank, we’ve got a routine in our back pocket we know works. When you don’t know what to say, you’ve got that just-in-case. It’s called being prepared.

Routines allow us to be prepared.

Here’s ANOTHER way routines come in handy: learning to speak “Woman.”

Routines are a Learning Tool

Comparison with learning a foreign language

Speaking “woman” can feel like learning a foreign language, right? The language of flirting, of speaking in code, of speaking emotionally (rather than factually) can feel like learning French.

Quick story: I’m teaching myself to speak Italian with these “Speak in a Week” CDs I pop into my car. They teach you common phrases. You memorize ’em, practice ’em, master ’em.

The idea is: just as a baby learns to speak by mimicking phrases he hears over and over again, so on this CD you mimic some of the most common Italian phrases. And just as a baby learns those phrases and soon makes up his own, so I’ve been able to make up my own sentences in Italian by getting down the “routine” phrases first.

Learning a foreign language consists of learning “routines.” Why should learning to speak Woman be any different?

Learning routines is the same idea. You start by mimicking a few “phrases” that work well when learning to speak Woman. Once you get a feel of what that’s like, you start to branch out and speak Woman on your own. Until you’re speaking it fluently and spontaneously.

Because when it comes down to it, it’s not even the words that are super important. It’s what you’re SUB-COMMUNICATING that’s important.

Having words down ahead of time allows a guy to use words to let his own personality shine. Words are just the surface. The clothing. Sub-communication gives the clothes form. Routines are clothes that show your personality below the surface. And a great personality attracts chicks.

This dress indicates her form. Routines are like this: the surface. Expressing (the indication) words (the dress) hint at our personality (the form). So, expression’s important, not whether you’re using a routine or not. Like driving a car, the driver’s more important than whether you’ve rented the car or not. In other words, a magic trick doesn’t make a magician. The performance of a magic trick make the magician.

Now, get this counter-intuitive thing.

I’ve ALSO found having words down ahead of time also allows me to be in the moment more. Crazy, right? Because I already know what to say… That frees me up to pay attention to women’s body language, play with my own delivery, make connections between different topics. I tune in more, and I can take the conversation somewhere more easily.

Let me give you an example of how routines can help you listen, in case that sounds too crazy. Piano.

Comparison with learning piano

Right now I’m learning to play a “routine” Beethoven wrote on the piano. I’m learning the notes (i.e. the words), but the real juice isn’t just in the notes. It’s how I play the notes. The expression from within. The delivery. Knowing what the notes are ahead of time allows me to listen to myself play, express myself better, and be in the moment.

A “routine” written by Beethoven (this here’s the “Appassionata Sonata”). If learning a routine in pickup is a bad thing, does that mean learning a routine for piano is a bad thing too? By the way, the point isn’t to play every note correctly. The point is to express them.

It’s the same damn thing with learning a routine in pickup.

Not only that, but by taking the time to understand why a “routine” by Beethoven works well, I can go on to create my own compositions, and improvise my own stuff on the piano.

Sweet!

I learn the rules from the masters, master the way they speak, and then can make up my own stuff using my own voice later.

In fact, this is EXACTLY how stand-up comedians learn to be funny.

Comparison with stand-up comedians

Last comparison, I promise.

This is what I’ve heard about how stand-up comedians learn to be funny. They model guys who are funny. Duh, right? They may even practice a few of their bits.

Well, if professional comedians do it why is it some moral issue that a guy who wants to learn how to be more successful with women do it?

And comedians go on to create bits for themselves… they don’t just blindly mimic the masters forever and ever. Some bits may come from improv. But they PRACTICE and POLISH those bits into material that goes into the can (their head). And they go on to kill at a show.

A comedian getting his routine down before he hits the stage. The best pickup artists do the same thing.

Couldn’t you say if comedy was just about the words, anyone could do it? The juice is in how they deliver the words (and how they time it). In other words, the sub-communication, the character they play, may be even more important.

That’s why it’s so important to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE your routines in the quiet of your home before using them in field.

::: A good rule of thumb in how to practice :::

Practice a routine five times to get it to memory. Practice five times in front of the mirror to see your body language. THEN practice your routine on five sets.

But note once again how comedians use BOTH routines and improv.

My point is, even stand-up comedians learn to be funny by learning routines! So why then is it somehow “morally” wrong to learn how to flirt, start interesting conversations, and tell great stories by learning a routine? Especially since pickup IS a performance art.

When we open a group of girls, it’s a lot like being on stage. Routines allow us to practice being our best self live with people… people who often want to dismiss us before wanting to accept us.

Learning routines can prevent that from happening. They’re are a fantastic learning tool. And they make AWESOME ice-breakers.

Routines Make Awesome Ice-Breakers

Ever tried to wing a conversation? Don’t they become these go-nowhere conversations that turn into factual small-talk conversation?

Um, no thank-you.

Having an ice-breaker in your back-pocket makes it sooooo much easier to open a conversation. Once the icebreaker is done, now you can mix in normal, spontaneous conversation.

Ah, much better.

So, routines allow us to be PREPARED when talking with women. What a concept!

Or Will Smith: “I’ve always considered myself to be just average talent and what I have is a ridiculous insane obsessiveness for practice and preparation.”

If you wanna succeed in the pickup arts, take the time to prepare. That’s what learning routines are about. Being prepared.

Again, take the time to rehearse, practice, prepare before hitting the field. Will make your success rate go up. Guaranteed.

One last Robin Williams video. At minute 2 he talks about how his free-flow also has discipline, thought, and preparation behind it.

Yes, be spontaneous. But for God’s sakes, there’s no need to wing it.

Musicians practice their guitar before going on stage. Basketball players practice their foul shots before the big game. The master pickup artists practice their routines and prepare before going out into the field.

Yes, Mystery, Neil Strauss, Matador, Discovery all practice routines in front of the mirror (and prepare themselves first) before going out into the field.

Why would you go on a stage not knowing what to do?

And here’s the irony. Like we said already, it’s EASIER to have spontaneous conversation (and listen and be in the present) when you know what you want to say ahead of time.

So. Routines make awesome icebreakers. They allow us to open a conversation with ease. And to lead it somewhere.

But wait, I can hear an objection: “Routines are not genuine because I’m using someone else’s stories.”

Aren’t Using Routines Not Being Genuine Though?

Sure, if you’re telling a story that didn’t happen to you, that’s a lie. I do NOT encourage that.

But good news! It’s so easy to personalize a routine to fit your style and voice. Just personalize the damn thing and make it genuine for yourself.

Shit, and why NOT stand on the shoulders of people who are successful?

That’s ANOTHER thing about this myth that makes me laugh. Implied is the idea of you’ve always gotta be original, new, different. So much so it’s conventional to be unconventional.

Besides, the best artists first learn from the masters by modeling them, building on them. Then they find their own voice in the process.

Hell, even Newton said he could see far only because he stood on the shoulders of giants. Da Vinci learned by imitating masters that came before him, too. Hell, Mozart mastered the sonata from Papa Haydn.

So, why not model guys who’ve been successful with women and adapt to your own style? That’s not being genuine?

Hahahaha! Please don’t make me laugh so hard.

I even heard this interview with Tucker Max once, someone a lot of people would call a “natural,” and you know how he said he learned to be more successful with women?

He stole lines from guys who were more successful with women than him. He’d see a guy use a line that worked, he’d steal it, and adapt to his own style. He used their “routines” to model himself after them, and found his own style in the process.

Tucker Max, who penned “I Hope They Served Beer In Hell” and is known for being spontaneous as hell, said he learned how to be successful with women by stealing lines from guys who were better with women (back when he was still learning).

Fuck. Even Tucker Max uses canned material now and then.

But it’s obvious. We all do! If a person claims they don’t, he’s just lying to himself.

How To Avoid The (Possible) Pitfalls of Routines

Let me just repeat this one important point, though.

To avoid becoming a “routines” robot, it’s important to understand WHY a line or routine works, so you can make up your own stuff.

Also, it’s important to mix in spontaneous conversation.

But that’s so obvious, it almost goes without saying.

The good news is in using other material that works, it gives you an intuitive sense of what works and what doesn’t. By copying, modeling, and following the masters, you become a master yourself.

Excellent!

So, yes don’t say things that aren’t true of you. But if there’s a line that works and it’s true to you and it helps you to speak the language of Woman… Use it.

You’ll have something in pinch, you’ll be prepared, you’ll showoff what’s within you, and it makes it a helluva lot easier to have spontaneous conversation.

Let me say it again. Routines are such a great learning tool, and a great tool to have in the back-pocket.

So, next time you’re in a bar or a club or even on the street, see a beautiful women, want to approach her, and draw a blank… you’ll know what to say!

You’ll already have an opener in the back of your mind. No matter how intimidatingly beautiful the woman is. You can deliver it without even having to think about it.

You can START the conversation and LEAD it. And holy shit, is that attractive.

With routines, next time you see a woman on the street who takes your breath away… you won’t be intimidated. You’ll know exactly what to say.

Done right, routines are wonderful. That means:

practicing in the mirror (before you hit the field)

understanding why a routine works (so you can make up your own shit later), and

combining it with your own spontaneous conversation.

You’ll be speaking Woman fluently, communicating awesomely. Your personality will shine through more. You’ll be socially freer. And you’ll be more self-aware.

I’d say that’s the REAL reason to get into game. To know thyself and become a more excellent man (that attracts women naturally).

Now, speaking of routines, there’s another myth related to this one (about routines) that irritates me: that natural game is better. Holy cannoli. Let’s talk about that one next.

It took me forever to figure out how to hook up the payment processing and how to protect the book, but I finally did it. (It’s harder than I thought it was going to be… Hey, I’m just starting out, leave me alone.)

The book’s called “How To Pick Up Chicks In Five Simple Steps.” It’s about 74 pages and it’s $10.

Basically, it’s about how to move the heaviest obstacle in the world: the stranger barrier.

Wouldn’t you say it’s the biggest challenge in pickup? The first approach?

The second most intimidating part may be the first kiss. But what they both have in common is they’re areas we can get rejected. So it’s scary.

Anyway, after about eight months in the field trying to figure out how to get past the “stranger” barrier (and failing miserably), I finally figured out a system. Figuring this system out was THE turning point for me. After I figured this out, things became a lot easier with women.

That system is what this book’s all about.

Building on top of this system I had other AWESOME successes: threesomes, multiple girlfriends (in an honest way), same day lays, picking up strippers, beautiful women chasing ME (that was a new one for me). Without this system, none of that wouldn’t have been possible.

It also changed my life in terms of how to be funnier, how to create sexual tension with any woman I wanted, and how to be more socially free (as well as more joyful and more confident).

What I personally love about this ebook is the emphasis is on practice.

Yes, there’s theory, but I also include a step-by-step thirty-day practice plan, including a stack sheet you can plug your words into. I take your hand and make sure you IMPLEMENT this system. I also break down kino, body language (I drew a couple of primitive pics to illustrate), and I give you word-for-word scripts you can use today.

PLUS I included a word-for-word field report of the system in action so you can steal it, use it, model it.

AND I’ve given you specific scripts on the kiss close, the number close, a rapport-building routine for isolation (The Cube), and how to isolate.

In Mystery Method terms, the book takes you from A1 to C1. But like I said above, this is the FOUNDATION of game. Get these stages down (A1 – C1), you can get the rest.

Speaking of the rest of game, I’ll be coming out with my main book in December. That one’s called “The Mystery of Women.” It includes (in addition to A1 – C1) all my best stuff on Day 2’s, seduction, sex, inner-game, relationship maintenance, and advanced game (like threesomes, club game, hired guns).

That book is OFF THE HOOK. Holy shit, am I pumped about it.

As for this first ebook I don’t hold back. I’ve packed it with PRACTICE and I’m offering it at a super low price.

The reason: I really, really want you to get this. And of course, there’s a thirty-day back money guarantee in case it doesn’t work for you (but I know it will work for you).

Like this:

The Puritans, the founders of the U.S.. They thought dancing and sex were sins. We’re still Puritans… especially when it comes to how we view sexual desire. There’s nothing wrong with sexual desire.

To say pickup is about lying, bullshitting, and manipulating also moralizes sex. In the same way we moralize women for wanting sex by calling her a “slut,” we moralize men for learning how to be better with women by calling him a “bullshitter, a manipulator, a liar.”

Moralism is a disease, a disease of modern society. So many of us would rather take half-baked ideologies and condemn everyone else before looking at ourselves and seeing how imperfect we are first.

Again, there’s nothing morally wrong with desiring women. Learning pickup allows a man to harness that desire into something more than lust. So that he develops into a more excellent man in the process.

Sexual energy begins “down there,” but we can harness it into something higher. One of the values of pickup: it gives sexual energy a positive place to go.

So, in my view at least, that’s what pickup is about.

“Players” are different from pickup artists. Players rush a woman into bed, and have no interest in seeing her again. He may bullshit, manipulate, or lie to “get” sex.

A pickup artist, by contrast, takes his time in getting to know a woman and wants to give her a great experience.

Once again, in learning this skill, a man develops himself into a better man. One who’s neither nice guy nor jerk. He takes the best from the two extremes and discards the worst.

Then after he’s mastered the skill he helps other guys who were in his situation.

That brings Myth #1 to a close

Phew. That was a long response to the first myth that pickup is about lying, bullshitting, and manipulation. But I had to go into detail about it, because I hear this myth too often.

I hear it so often because it’s easier to judge than to understand. And it’s fun to judge before understanding because it makes a person feel superior and righteous to condemn.

Anyway, my point was when done correctly, pickup can be such a positive thing.

But here’s a second big myth that surrounds pickup. Myth #2: learning routines is bad. It’s another moralistic myth that cracks me up.

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